Tag: People

Tracy Farmer, a horseman, entrepreneur, and past Midway trustee will receive the Legacy Award Thursday evening at the Midway University's 8^th Annual Spotlight Awards beginning at 6:00pm.

The awards will be held on campus in the Marshall Gymnasium inside McManis Student Center. This year's theme is 'Making History' in celebration of the institutions 175^th anniversary.

“This is truly an honor, and I am proud and humbled,” says Tracy Farmer. “Through my years in business and public service, I have been fortunate to have achieved great success. I consider this honor from Midway University among the top of my achievements!”

Tracy Farmer is one of Kentucky's greatest success stories. Born in a log cabin in Jackson County in 1939, the son of a coal miner who also farmed, Farmer has a long list of accomplishments in business, education, politics, and the horse industry. He owns Shadowlawn Farm near Midway and six automobile dealerships and is a major supporter of Midway University.

After attending Lee County High School and three years in the Navy, Farmer entered a major oil company's two-year training program, entered the oil business in Texas, then formed his own oil company. He diversified into other businesses, including the Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise for Texas. Returning to Kentucky, he bought a bank in Cynthiana, and others in Mount Vernon and Lexington; developed property in Lexington and then in Louisville, where most of his auto dealerships are.

Farmer has long been an advocate for education. He has been vice chair of the Midway Board of Trustees and is co-namesake of the university's new baseball stadium. He was a University of Kentucky trustee for 12 years, and endowed UK's Tracy Farmer Center for Sustainability and the Environment. He was a leader in the designation of Old Frankfort Pike as the Lexington-Frankfort Scenic Corridor and its recent designation as a National Scenic Byway.

A prominent Thoroughbred owner and breeder and member of the Jockey Club, Farmer bred and owned Sir Winston, winner of the 2019 Belmont Stakes. He has been vice chair of the state Racing Commission, vice president of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association and recipient of its W.T. Young Humanitarian Award; president of the Kentucky Horse Park Foundation; and a member of the executive committee and other committees of the Breeders Cup Ltd.

In 2018, he and his wife Carol joined the Water Hay Oats Alliance, a horse-industry group formed to eliminate performance-enhancing drugs in racing. The group scored a major victory in 2020 when Congress passed the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act, which will set up a national regulatory system for Thoroughbred racing to overcome conflicts among states about medication of horses and other issues.

Farmer has been involved in many political campaigns at the state, local and federal levels; was chair of the state Democratic Party, Kentucky's Democratic national committeeman and a member of the national party's Finance Committee. Under Gov. John Y. Brown Jr. in 1983-87, he was secretary of Public Protection and Regulation Cabinet, overseeing a wide range of state agencies.

The Spotlight Awards evening is designed to highlight those who have been leaders in their fields and who has directly impacted Midway University through time, service, support, and resources.

Past Midway University Legacy Award recipients are listed below:

• 2021 – Donna Moore Campbell
• 2020 – Not Held Due to COVID
• 2019 – Lyle Wolf
• 2018 – Janet Green Hunter
• 2017 – The Parrish-Roach Family
• 2016 – The James C. & Ann Bowling Family
• 2015 – Libby Lloyd Jones
• 2014 – Mira Ball

For more information regarding the Midway Equine Industry Spotlight Awards visit —

https://www.midway.edu/events/spotlight-awards/

The post Tracy Farmer To Receive Midway University’s Legacy Award appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Jockey Alex Canchari led gate to wire aboard Plane Talk dominating Wednesday's $50,000 Honor the Hero Stakes at Canterbury Park by 6 1/2 lengths in 56.49 seconds for five furlongs.

“He's a fast horse and I was just a passenger on him today,” Canchari said.

The victory was the 999th for the jockey who grew up in Shakopee as part of a racing family. Plane Talk is trained by Robertson for owner Novogratz Racing Stables. He paid $10.80 to win.

Canchari, who is riding regularly at Prairie Meadows in Altoona, Iowa, tallied career win 1,000 when he rode Tonka Warrior to victory for Robertson in the day's final race.

“I grew up here. I got my first job here in the concession stand when I was a kid,” Canchari said. “I just love it here. I love all the fans and all the people because without them I'd be nothing.”

Jockey Harry Hernandez, new to the Canterbury jockey colony, won the $50,000 Brooks Fields Stakes aboard prohibitive favorite Tut's Revenge. He paid $3.20. Tut's Revenge, who won the one mile race by 2 1/4 lengths, is trained by Clinton Stuart for owners Claim To Fame Stable.

Nine-year old mare Beach Flower, who had won the Minnesota HBPA Distaff two times in four prior starts, made it three wins in the $50,000 stake when she was victorious again Wednesday at Canterbury Park. Under jockey Roimes Chirinos, Beach Flower sat off the early pace in the one mile race run over a muddy track. She tracked pace setter Rush Hour Traffic before beginning to advance into the far turn, passing the leader inside the sixteenth pole and pulling away to win by a length and a quarter.

“When she came around the turn it looked like she had a little bit of a kick,” said John Mentz who co-owns Beach Flower with Hugh Robertson and Jeff Larson. “For a good old 9-year-old mare to have that is just awesome. She's been a good horse.”

Beach Flower, who paid $6.00 to win, is trained by Mac Robertson. Rush Hour Traffic held second while favored Niceno finished third. Rain forced the HBPA Distaff as well as the Brooks Fields and Honor the Hero Stakes to be moved from the turf course.

Total handle for the nine-race card was $1,730,324. Racing resumes Thursday at 5 p.m

The post Full Circle: Alex Canchari Records 1,000th Winner At Canterbury Park appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Jockey Jose Ortiz had an exceptionally good weekend at Pimlico Race Course with three stakes race victories highlighted by an emotional win in the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes, the middle jewel of the Triple Crown. A panel of racing experts voted Ortiz Jockey of the Week for May 16 through May 22. The award honors jockeys who are members of the Jockeys' Guild, the organization which represents more than 1050 active, retired and permanently disabled jockeys in the United States.

Riding for trainer Christophe Clement at Pimlico on Friday, Ortiz was aboard Pizza Bianca in the Hilltop Stakes for 3-year-old fillies. Off as the favorite in the field of eight, the pair raced unhurried six lengths off the pace. Ortiz gave Pizza Bianca her cue turning for home going outside and around horses for the drive down the stretch. They took command near the sixteenth pole drawing off to a 1 3/4-length win in 1:36.54 for the 1 1/16-mile turf test.

“Down the backside, I thought they went a little bit too fast early on and I felt like I was in the perfect position,” said Ortiz. “I knew from the six-furlong pole I was sitting on a lot of horse, I rode her very confident from that point.”

On Saturday, trainer Chad Brown gave a leg up to Ortiz on Technical Analysis in the G3 Gallorette Stakes. Favored at 3-5 over five rivals, Technical Analysis broke alertly and made every pole a winning one posting a 3 1/4-length win in 1:41.40 for the 1 1/16-mile turf race for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up.

“I was just a passenger,” said Ortiz, who was riding Technical Analysis for the seventh time. “She was much the best today. She looked like it on paper, and she went out there and did what she had to do. Chad had her ready.”

It was the Chad Brown and Jose Ortiz duo again in the G1 Preakness Stakes with Early Voting. Off as the third betting choice in the nine horse field, Early Voting broke alertly and chased pacesetter Armagnac and remained the closest pursuer along the backstretch and far turn. Ortiz said “go” leaving the turn into the stretch and Early Voting responded opening up a 3 1/2-length lead. The duo held off race favorite Epicenter to post a 1 1/4-length win in 1:54.54.

“It's a huge race,” said Ortiz who was clearly overwhelmed by winning his first Preakness with his fifth attempt. “It's a dream come true. It's amazing to share this moment with my family, my mom and dad. I know they are watching, and my wife and kids are here.”

Ortiz outpolled Victor Carrasco with two stakes wins, Florent Geroux with four stakes victories, Kylee Jordan who led all jockeys in wins with 10, and Luis Saez who won three stakes races.

The post Jockey Of The Week: Jose Ortiz Realizes Preakness Goal With Early Voting appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Jockeys and Jeans, a group founded by former jockeys to raise funds for the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (“PDJF”), will hold their eighth annual fundraising event at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., on July 2. The popular event will take place on the final day of Churchill Downs' Spring Meet and include a day of live racing featuring the Grade 2 Stephen Foster Stakes.

The event has been scheduled to take place at Churchill Downs since 2020, but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic until 2022. In a show of support and recognition that the need for funding still exists through a pandemic, those committed partners turned their event sponsorship into cash donations. Jockeys and Jeans came roaring back in 2021 with its event at Monmouth Park raising a one-year record of $342,000.

“This is our first event in Kentucky,” said Jockeys and Jeans president Barry Pearl. “For us it's an opportunity to have those in the Bluegrass area who have so generously helped this cause to come out and meet some of those severely injured jockeys they have consistently supported and say hello to a large group of Hall of Famers there to honor their fallen brothers and sisters.”

“We are thrilled to finally welcome Jockeys and Jeans to Churchill Downs,” said Mike Anderson, president of Churchill Downs Racetrack. “We are deeply committed to supporting the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund and the athletes that make the sport of horse racing possible. We invite our fans to join us in rallying around this great cause and spectacular event during an exciting day of racing under the Twin Spires.”

The 17 Hall of Fame Riders scheduled to attend include Braulio Baeza, Bill Boland, Don Brumfield, Steve Cauthen, Pat Day, Early Fires, Julie Krone, Chris McCarron, Laffit Pincay Jr., Craig Perret, Edgar Prado, Jose Santos, Alex Solis, Gary Stevens, Jacinto Vasquez, and Jockeys and Jeans committee member Sandy Hawley. Hall of Famer Jerry Bailey will be present as part of NBC's Stephen Foster Stakes broadcast team and will take part in Jockey and Jeans' meet and greet segment.

Other notables scheduled to attend include two of the five living Triple Crown winning jockeys: Jean Cruguet who won the 1977 Triple Crown on Seattle Slew and Steve Cauthen who won the 1978 Triple Crown aboard Affirmed. Also attending will be the 1970 Kentucky Derby winning Jockey Mike Manganello. Fourteen of the jockeys attending will comprise a total of 17 Kentucky Derby wins, including Bill Boland, who won in 1950 aboard Middleground, representing the oldest Kentucky Derby winning jockey.  Several other Kentucky Derby winning and Hall of Fame jockeys are expected to attend.

Fallen jockeys attending include Gary Birzer, Stacy Burton, Gary Donahue, Jackie Fires, Linda Hughes, Michael Martinez, Armando Rivera, Michael Straight and Jockeys and Jeans committee members Roger Blanco and Jayme LaRocca.

All funds raised will go to the PDJF, which makes monthly payments of $1,000 to 60 severely injured former jockeys. The all-volunteer group has raised over $2 million for the charity.

The event begins at 11:00 a.m. ET in Churchill Downs' Triple Crown Room. Tickets are $75 and can be purchased through Ticketmaster at  https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/16005B5CAD1637A6?did=jockey or can be accessed at www.jockeysandeans.com and www.churchilldowns.com. Lunch is included in the event ticket price.

Noted Keeneland Sales auctioneer Ryan Mahan will host an auction that will feature rare racing memorabilia and guests will have the opportunity to bid on rare silent auction items. The riders, including those permanently disabled, will sign special autographed posters and other memorabilia brought by fans at a special signing in the grandstand that will be open to the general public.

The post Jockeys And Jeans’ PDJF Fundraiser To Attract Large Group Of Former Riders To Churchill Downs On July 2 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post